


Dissolution

by helloshepard



Series: Renewal [2]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Character Death Fix, Drabble Collection, Multi, Post-Canon Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-01
Updated: 2015-11-15
Packaged: 2018-04-24 06:26:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4908790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helloshepard/pseuds/helloshepard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>ch1: Shepard smiled, and Garrus couldn’t help but feel the world had gotten just a little brighter.<br/>Post-ME3 drabbles. AU fix-it. Characters to be added as more chapters are written.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Garrus and Shepard (1)

Earth’s brand-new Malaika Memorial Hospital was quickly becoming one of Garrus Vakarian’s least favorite places in the entire universe.

Flawlessly clean floors stood juxtaposed against the dirt and grime and fire just a few meters away. Fire and construction crews constantly worked throughout the night to build shelters and extinguish the huge fires that plagued Holborn and the South Bank, but from what Garrus could hear, they were not having any luck.

Luck, Garrus thought darkly, was something else this city needed. Besides proper communication channels, a more reliable power system, _food…_

“Garrus,” Shepard mumbled. “You’re thinking again.”

 His mandibles twitched, more amused than annoyed.

“Trying to break the habit. It’s hard.”

His hand reached out to brush Shepard’s forearm. Regrown, scarred skin was soft under his touch. Almost too soft, and Garrus pulled away with a frown, afraid of hurting Shepard more than she had already been hurt—if that was even possible.

Shepard blinked, a slow action indicating the human was about to lapse back into a painkiller-induced sleep.

A yawn, and Shepard poked her hand out to touch Garrus’s wrist.

“What’s today’s movie?”

“Er. _Protheans and Pyjacks.”_

Shepard snorted, then winced.

“Javik would love that.”

Gently, Garrus patted her hand, then tucked the sheet around her shoulders and waist.

“I’m sure Liara has introduced him to the beauty of blockbuster movies. _Protheans and Pyjacks. Blasto_ …”

Shepard laughed, an action that produced a loud, hacking cough. Internally, Garrus panicked, reaching out to steady her as she sat up, clutching a pillow to her chest, but Shepard shook her head and pushed him away.

“Never—told you about…” With a horrible _sucking_ sound, Shepard spat _something_ into a glass of water, then dumped the whole concoction into a trash bin. Garrus stared, wide-eyed.

“Javik and Blasto. He killed one of the stars.”

Trying not to stare at the trash bin, Garrus stared instead at Shepard.

“The elchor?”

“The vorcha.”

“Mm.” With a brief sidelong glance at the water-and-mucus, Garrus turned back to Shepard. His omni-tool was set to silent, but it was lighting up with unread messages and Shepard could see it, even through his sleeve.

She leaned back into the pillows.

“I’m not going anywhere, Garrus Vakarian.”

“But…”

She described the dreams to him shortly after waking up. Though Garrus had needed an explanation of the _child,_ the voices of Legion, Thane, Mordin, Kelly Chambers and Ashley had needed no further elaboration. Garrus recognized Shepard’s expression then. It was one of a hunted creature, desperate to find relief in the only way it knew how, and Shepard’s face had that same expression right now. His presence did not relieve the nightmares, Garrus knew. But if Shepard wanted him there, he would stay.

“Shepard…”

“Garrus.” Her eyes were watery, though if it was from the coughing or something else, the turian did not know. “The universe hasn’t been put on hold just because I’ve been in the hospital. Go answer your calls.”

Garrus grumbled, mandibles twitching.

“When you put it like that…” he squinted. “Remind me to ask Tali if she can set my omni-tool to answer these calls _inside_. Why you humans still insist on turning off electronics is beyond me.”

“Mhmm.” Shepard closed her eyes. “She’ll put that on the top of her list, right after fixing this stupid reclining bed.”

Gifted with a bout of bravery, Garrus leaned forward, briefly touching his forehead to the human’s.

Shepard smiled, and Garrus couldn’t help but feel the world had gotten just a little brighter.

“Be right back.”


	2. Javik and Liara (Lesson), Joker and EDI (Wind)

_Javik and Liara - Lesson_  

“Your technology is still hopelessly primitive. In my cycle, we had moved far beyond mere holographic interfaces.” Javik sneered. “And _typing.”_

Liara imagined an exaggerated bead of sweat dripping down her forehead, a memento of her earliest days on the _Normandy,_ watching ancient Earth vids with the crew.

“We haven’t found a working Prothean computer yet,” Liara replied. “But you are welcome to just tell me what to write.”

She stifled a laugh as she saw Javik’s glare. 

“Nonsense.” Liara imagined a bird ruffling its feathers as Javik shifted in place, crossing and uncrossing his arms before returning his fingers to the keyboard. “I will master this primitive technology.” 

Javik’s fingers flew across the holographic interface. 

Liara felt the smallest of smiles on her lips, and turned back to her notes. 

The keyboard beeped, blinking red before shutting off.

Javik said a word that would have made Liara blush once upon a time, but the asari merely sighed. 

“What did you do?”

Javik snorted. 

“I did nothing. This primitive machine is unable to keep up with me.”

Liara rebooted the keyboard. Carefully, she read what Javik had typed, and cringed. 

“Perhaps this could be avoided if you focused on spelling the words correctly instead of trying to get them all on the page.” 

“You can understand them, can you not?” 

“Yes?”

“Well. Then the meaning should be clear, no matter how I spell it.” 

Liara sighed. 

* * *

 

_Joker and EDI - Wind_

It wasn’t often he could hear outside the docking bay. 

Depending on the direction you were going, the Citadel’s shielding normally kept both the atmospheric pressure and the breezes generated by massive wind tunnels out of the hangars. 

Obviously, Joker thought dourly, this wasn’t a normal day. 

Looking out the _Normandy’s_ windows, he could see groups of dockworkers in atmospheric suits struggling to walk upright against the winds moving throughout the hangers. More than once, he’d seen a poor idiot without mag-boots move too close to the sometimes-shielded exit and get yanked out into the vacuum by a particularly powerful gust. 

In the distance, he could see Earth—a tiny blue-green marble against the black void of space. Shepard and Garrus were there, along with the Prothean and Liara. 

Frustrated, Joker adjusted his mask. 

“Changing ezoo flow output to compensate for the change in Citadel atmosphere.”  
EDI’s voice echoed throughout the ship.

_“Understood.”_

“You know,” Joker said. “You don’t have to blast your message through the intercom anymore. Not that I’m complaining, mind you.” 

Before the AI could respond, a warning popped up on Joker’s leftmost screen. 

“Yeah yeah.” Joker pushed the flashing beacon away. “EDI?”

EDI’s boot appeared on the _Normandy’s_ frontmost viewport. 

_“One moment, Jeff. The Normandy’s oxygen systems should be functional within fifty-eight seconds.”_

Joker leaned back into his seat.

“Glad we’re being precise.” He pulled up the controls. “Initiating decompression.” 

_“Thirty three seconds.”_

“You know, after she’s repaired and everyone’s out of the hospital, I think we should take a vacation.” Feeling his heart pound, Joker looked at the readings. Normal. “Somewhere nice. Normal. You know?” 

_“Fifteen seconds. A ‘vacation’.”_

“Yeah. Like the party we had at Anderson’s, but…longer.” Joker scrunched his nose. “With maybe a little less alcohol.”

_“Hmm.”_ The half-second pause told Joker EDI was doing what would take him a week. _“Most resort planets have been relatively unaffected by the Reaper attack, but may have problems obtaining the necessary supplies.”_

Joker waved his hand.

“It’s the _idea,_ EDI. Most of us made it out of the war alive.” Joker patted the dashboard. “What happened to the oxygen, anyway?”

_“Oxygen has been present in the_ Normandy _for approximately seven seconds, Jeff.”_

“I knew that.” Joker coughed unconvincingly and pulled off his mask, then turned back to the screens. “Let’s finish fixing you up.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to go from one 'scene' a chapter to one word prompts to add more characters and keep inspiration going. This one isn't going to be as updated as frequently as "Dissonance", but I always welcome feedback and chapter suggestions!


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